Jennifer L. West

Isabel C. Cameron Professor of Bioengineering
Professor in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering,
Director, Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering

Research Interests:

• Tissue engineered vascular grafts
• NO-releasing polymers
• Mechanisms of restenosis
• Medical applications of nanoshells.

Education:

• B.S. (1992) Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• M.S. (1994) University of Texas
• Ph.D. (1996) University of Texas

My research in biomaterials and tissue engineering focuses on the synthesis development and application of novel biofunctional materials and on the use of biomaterials and engineering approaches to study biological problems. Several of the projects ongoing in my laboratory are described below.

Tissue Engineered Vascular Grafts: There is tremendous need for materials for small diameter vascular grafts. Synthetic materials have not proved suitable, and tissue transplantation is limited. Tissue engineering may provide an answer. My laboratory is approaching this problem from two directions; synthesis of novel scaffold materials that mimic extracellular matrix and genetic manipulation of the cells seeded into these scaffolds. The scaffold materials under development provide signals to promote cell adhesion, to control synthesis of matrix proteins, to regulate cell growth, and to allow degradation of the polymer as new tissue forms. The goals for genetic engineering of smooth muscle and endothelial cells are to reduce thrombosis and improve the mechanical properties of the engineered arteries.

NO-Releasing Polymers: Nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to have anti-thrombotic activity and to inhibit smooth muscle cell proliferation. Thus, NO may be useful in the prevention of restenosis, a frequent complication of procedures such as balloon angioplasty that is related to thrombosis and smooth muscle cell proliferation. My laboratory is developing novel biomaterials that produce NO for sustained periods under physiological conditions. In addition to the potential therapeutic applications, these materials can be utilized as a powerful new tool to allow us to investigate the effects of nitric oxide on cells and tissues.

Mechanisms of Restenosis: Thin hydrogel coatings can be used to prevent thrombosis and isolate the arterial wall from blood contact after injury. When this is done after angioplasty procedures in animals, restenosis is virtually eliminated. To gain insight into the roles of factors derived from thrombosis and blood, local drug delivery approaches can be combined with arterial coatings to provide exposure to these factors individually and at known levels. Through this, I hope to gain unique insight into the biological mechanisms involved in restenosis and arterial wound healing.

Medical Applications of Metal Nanoshells: Nanoshells are a new type of nanoparticle with tunable optical properties. For medical applications, these particles can be designed to strongly absorb or scatter light in the near infrared where tissue and blood are relatively transparent. In a cancer therapy application, nanoshells are designed to absorb light and convert the energy to heat for tumor destruction. By conjugating antibodies or peptides to the nanoshell surfaces, binding of nanoshells can be targeted to cancerous cells, and subsequent exposure to near infrared light results in specific and localized destruction of the cancerous cells. A photothermally modulated drug delivery system, optically-controlled valves for microfluidics devices, and a rapid whole blood immunoassay are also under development using nanoshells.

Selected Publications

1. Hill-West, Chowdhury, Sawhney, Pathak, Dunn, Hubbell, "Prevention of Post-Operative Adhesions in the Rat by In Situ Photopolymerization of Bioresorbable Hydrogel Barriers," Obstetrics and Gynecology, 83 (1994), 59-64.
2. Hill-West, Chowdhury, Dunn, Hubbell, "Efficacy of a Hydrogel Barrier, Oxidized Regenerated Cellulose and Hyaluronic Acid in the Prevention of Ovarian Adhesions in a Rabbit Model," Fertility and Sterility, 62 (1994), 630-634.
3. Hill-West, Chowdhury, Slepian, Hubbell, "Inhibition of Thrombosis and Intimal Thickening by Interfacially Photopolymerized Hydrogel Barriers," Proc. Natl Acad. Sci., USA91 (1994), 5967-5971.
4. West, J.L., "Wound Healing," Frontiers in Tissue Engineering (1998).
5. West, J. L., Hubbell, J. A. , "Polymeric biomaterials with degradation sites for the proteolytic activities involved in cell migration," Macromolecules, 32 (1999), 241.
6. Suggs, L. J., West, J. L., Mikos, A. G. , "Platelet adhesion on a bioresorbable poly(propylene fumarate-co-ethylene glycol) copolymer," Biomaterials, 20 (1999), 683-90.

CHEMICAL & BIOMOLECULAR ENGINEERING DEPT. MS-362
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